The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎97r] (46/186)

RECENT JOURNEYS IN PERSIA.
585
In order to attempt an earlier start, we halted for a day, and then
pushed on at sunrise the following morning. However, the march was
long, and by the time we reached Pesh Mant our horses had to be led,
so utterly prostrate were they. Many of the party also suffered from
sun fever, mainly because they got slightly chilled before the sun rose,
and so felt the sudden change acutely. After four trying marches, we
struck the Geh river, where we decided to make another halt. Just
before reaching camp, I saw a couple of wolves, which fact is interesting,
as they are not known to exist so near the coast. In the bed of the
“ kaur,” the Baluchi term for river, we found isolated pools of doubtful
water at this point; but a march higher up, we came upon a bright
flowing stream, bordered by palm groves.
Geh is a large village, built in the fork between two branches
of the river, and, with its palm groves, forms a delightful picture.
As so many of our party had suffered from fever, we determined to
leave the invalids and make a rapid march in light order to Fanoch,
returning to Geh by a different route. This we did with great
success, finding at Mokht, a village near our route, a remarkable
kind of glass bangle, of which I have given specimens to the British
Museum.
The pass below Fanoch must be a unique road. For 7 or 8 miles
one has to scramble over boulders of the most varied hues, every colour
of the rainbow being there, which gives an effect of great beauty. In
the case of being overtaken by a “ seelab,” or spate, in this pass, the
loss of the entire caravan would ensue, as the sides are precipitous
almost throughout. The morning after our arrival, we set forth to
climb the Kuh-i-Fanoch, also termed the Kuh-i-Sufeed, or “White
mountain,” the summit of which is reached at 4735 feet. After four
hot hours spent in climbing, we stood on the top, and were able to
look across to the unknown districts lying to the west, while to the
north we could clearly descry the shapely Basman peak.
Upon returning to Geh, we retraced our steps down the pass, and
then kept further north, striking the Sirha river at Ichan, called
“ Hochan ” by Captain Grant. Both when going to and returning
from Fanoch, we crossed the Maluran river,* which is shown as draining
* The following is the list of villages on the Maluran river: —
Matkun, right bank.
Kuchink, „
Abgah,
Xasperan, „
Ladgoju, left bank.
Aband, right bank.
Margan,
Shernani, right bank.
Yark, „
Murdosmah, „
Maluran, left bank.
Chah Ali, „
Wajbis, „
Korandab, „